About Us

Emergency Preparedness Solutions™®

About Us

Emergency Preparedness Solutions™® is a woman-owned small business enterprise located in Utica, NY and serving clients across North America. We have been in business since 2012, providing a full range of customized comprehensive emergency and disaster preparedness services for non-profit, government, and private sectors. We specialize in:

Assessments
Essential to understanding your needs and conducting a gap analysis

Planning
Implementation-ready plans are the cornerstone of preparedness, but planning alone is not enough

Training
Prepare personnel to conduct their roles and responsibilities within a plan

Exercises
Validate plans and hone capabilities

After-Action Reports & Improvement Plans
A necessity for continuous improvement

Our Team brings real world experience to our clients, applying standards such as:

  • National Incident Management System (NIMS)
  • Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)
  • FEMA’s Comprehensive Preparedness Guide 101 (CPG 101)
  • NFPA 1600/1660: Standard on Continuity, Emergency, and Crisis Management
  • NFPA 3000: Standard for an Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) Program

We have experience with niche clients, such as sporting stadiums, event centers, schools, public health and hospitals, airports, and utility providers. We are able to bring in specialized subcontractors for a range of specific capabilities as needed in our exercises. Our team has a range of backgrounds in public safety, emergency management, public health, and other related fields. To complement their expertise, our team members possess educational and professional credentials that emphasize their proficiency and capability. These include:

 

  • Certified Emergency and Disaster Professional (CEDP)
  • Certified Emergency Manager (CEM)
  • Master Exercise Practitioner (MEP)
  • FEMA Master Trainer

Want to know what we can do for you?

Our Team

Tim Riecker

Tim Riecker

Principal Consultant / Project Manager

EPS’s project manager and principal consultant, Tim Riecker, is recognized nationally as an expert in preparedness, Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP), and the National Incident Management System (NIMS). Mr. Riecker is a FEMA Master Trainer, certified as an HSEEP instructor, and a multitude of other courses, including those on NIMS/ICS, emergency planning, instructor development, and exercise management. Mr. Riecker has over two decades of experience in public safety, including local emergency response as a chief officer, state-level emergency management as a senior manager, and public safety consulting across the nation.

As former State Training Officer (STO) and Exercise Training Officer (ETO) for the State of New York and through his work as a consultant, Mr. Riecker has worked with stakeholders across the nation within public, private, and non-government organizations; in preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery. He understands the needs of different stakeholders within various sectors and industries. He has a successful record of leading complex projects involving a variety of stakeholders, personnel, and timelines.

Mr. Riecker has participated in the management of 21 Presidentially declared disasters including the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks and hurricanes Katrina and Sandy; as well as other disasters and emergencies including capsized ships, airplane crashes, and numerous severe storms and floods. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in business administration, is a Certified Emergency and Disaster Professional (CEDP), and is an NFPA 3000 (Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response) Program Specialist.

Dr. Robin Riecker

Dr. Robin Riecker

Partner

Dr. Robin Riecker (Ed.D.), EPS’s partner, has been an educator for over twenty years and currently serves as Dean of Academic Affairs at Herkimer College where she oversees programs including education, criminal justice, cybersecurity, and a phase I police academy. Robin specializes in education, needs assessment, research, and analysis and evaluation of policy and plans. She has presented nationally and internationally on instructional technologies and the use of dialogue to build competence and as an assessment tool. She has served as EPS’ Principal Investigator on a National Academies of Sciences Transportation Research Board project to validate airport emergency exercises and has provided subject matter expertise to a variety of other EPS projects.

Dr. Riecker serves as a representative of the college administration on the college’s emergency management team, which has addressed such issues as routine weather emergencies and utility outages, as well as acts of violence on or near the campus, such as the 2013 active shooter in the Village of Herkimer. Her knowledge, skills and leadership contribute to the individualized service and quality provided to the clients of EPS.

Ms. Sarah Ellis, MPH, CPH

Ms. Sarah Ellis, MPH, CPH

Emergency Management Associate

Ms. Sarah Ellis is an Emergency Management Associate with EPS and has been with the company since early 2022. She holds duel Bachelor’s Degrees in Public Health and Political Science and a Master’s Degree in Public Health with a concentration in Biosecurity and Disaster Preparedness. She has experience performing public health audits as a health ambassador and working knowledge of US Department of Education Title IX policies through her role on a St. Louis University advisory board.

Ms. Ellis has a passion for biosecurity and emergency management, seeking to continue participation in organizational and community initiatives to raise awareness, prevent, prepare, and decrease public risks and hazards. She is Certified in Public Health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners.

Ms. Ellis provides extensive support to EPS projects, including planning, training, exercises, and AAR/IP development.